A Time For Lies
by Thelchtereia
Summary: Gakuto sulks while Yuushi is away.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own Prince of Tennis, any of the characters, or most of the idea. That is all copyright Takeshi Konomi, I'm merely adding my own thoughts and expanding on some characters for absolutely no profit or gain.

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Gakuto hated feeling completely useless; knowing he should be doing something—anything—but not knowing what. A hundred ideas went through his head, but few of them were appealing and the ones that were happened to be too outlandish for him to even consider at two in the morning. Gakuto knew what he was supposed to be doing; he was supposed to be waiting, but he hated waiting even more than he hated feeling useless.

Stupid Yuushi. He should've known the bastard would forget to call. Gakuto could practically hear the excuse already; something about how his parents forced him out to one of those fancy business dinners at the insanely expensive restaurant they frequented where they were sure their son would be in the right sort of company.

If the elitists with their perfectly deceitful social skills, lavish parties and polite smiles perfected by the average man's yearly wages worth of plastic surgery were any less brutal than a pack of starving wolves Gakuto would have a smidge of understanding. Except they weren't, and he didn't, and that didn't seem likely to change anytime soon.

In fact it was getting worse by the minute as Gakuto checked the time on his cell phone for the forth time since it changed to 2:14 only to find that time wasn't moving any faster and Yuushi still hadn't called. Maybe the idiot had lost his phone, and by calling it Gakuto would be helping him find it.

The redhead entertained that idea for all of thirty seconds before his brain reminded him what had happened the last time he tried to help, and Gakuto shivered. He really didn't fancy having another awkward conversation with Yuushi's father about why on earth he was calling at such an ungodly hour when Yuushi's cell phone had somehow found its way into the pocket of his father's pants. Come to think of it, Gakuto had forgotten to ask how it had ended up there in the first place. Maybe—

Gakuto jumped as the shrill first notes of his overly peppy Morning Musume ring tone—which he swears he only kept to annoy Shishido—rang out in the silence of the room. Before the first notes even finished, Gakuto had the phone flipped open and pressed up against his ear.

"What the fuck took you so long?" Gakuto growled into the receiver, and the silent pause told him Yuushi knew he was angry and was choosing his words carefully.

"I'm sorry, Gakuto. I fell asleep."

Yuushi replied sheepishly, and Gakuto was going to yell at him some more just to get it out of his system, but Yuushi's honest answer had his anger draining out of him in seconds. Stupid tensai and his mind tricks. "S'ok Yuushi." Gakuto found himself mumbling back, followed by a drawn out awkward pause.

After a few silent moments Gakuto cleared his throat; "Yuushi, would it sound too clingy if I said I miss you?"

There was another short pause, but just as Gakuto opened his mouth to take it back Yuushi spoke up.

"No, I don't think so, Gakuto."

And Gakuto could tell Yuushi was pleased, and probably relating the situation to one of those cheesy romance novels he was always reading. Oh well, no use going back on what he'd already said.

"Good, because I miss you."

He could tell Yuushi was smiling in the way his voice was subtly softer than usual as he replied. "I miss you too."

"When are you coming home?"

"In three more days." Yuushi's response was quick, as though he had already been expecting the question.

"You mean you're going to miss New Year's?"

The obvious pouting tone of the redhead's voice didn't go unnoticed.

"It hasn't changed since I left, Gakuto."

Frustrated, Gakuto flopped back onto his bed and huffed an angry sigh at the ceiling.

"You're sure they won't let you go early?"

He got a soft chuckle in response, followed by a quiet mumble of "Positive."

Another silence fell over them, and Gakuto caught his lower lip between his teeth to keep from saying something he would regret. Self-restraint wasn't something he was very good at, especially concerning his words, but Yuushi could be exceptionally touchy sometimes and he was learning.

A loud knock startled Gakuto out of his thoughts, and he paused warily as he remembered the time. Who in their right mind would go around knocking on doors at 2am? But eventually his curiosity got the better of him and he mumbled a quick "Hang on" to Yuushi. He took the phone to the front door with him, just in case, and pulled the door open without bothering to check through the peep hole first.

The phone clattered to the floor before the door was even all the way open, and Gakuto didn't even stop to think before he bounded forward into Yuushi's arms.

"I missed you, Gakuto." Yuushi whispered fiercely into his ear.

After holding each other for a few moments, everything finally dawned on Gakuto. Yuushi didn't even see the punch coming until Gakuto's fist collided with his arm.

"Bastard, you lied to me!"

Yuushi smiled guiltily and pulled the disgruntled redhead back against his chest before he could throw any more punches.

"It was worth it."


End file.
